Shaping & Chaining Behavior Malott, R. (2008) Principles of Behavior. 1

Shaping Behavior Malott, R. (2008) Principles of Behavior. 2

Example Andrew entered Big State Hospital when he was 21 From the day he entered, he didn’t say a word – 19 years of silence He attended Dawn’s group therapy session with patients who did speak In one session Dawn accidentally dropped a stick of chewing gum from her purse Andrew showed interest in the gum 3

Andrew In the next group session, Dawn held the gum in front of Andrew’s face and waited until he looked at it Then she immediately gave him the gum After 2 weeks, he reliably looked at the gum when she held it in front of his face 4

Next Step Dawn waited until Andrew moved his lips slightly before giving him the gum After he was doing this reliably, she waited until he made a sound before giving him the gum Before Andrew has no gum Behavior Initial: Andrew moves his lips After Andrew has gum 5

Differential Reinforcement Before: Andrew has no gum After: Andrew has no gum Behavior Intermediate: Andrew moves his lips Behavior Intermediate: Andrew makes croaking sound After: Andrew has gum 6

Terminal Behavior Then Dawn prompted him to say “gum gum” His croaking sound faintly resembled “gum” Dawn immediately reinforced this response She then reinforced closer and closer approximations to the word “gum” 7

Differential Reinforcement Before: Andrew has no gum After: Andrew has no gum Behavior Intermediate: Andrew makes croaking sound Behavior Terminal: Andrew says gum After: Andrew has gum 8

Results Andrew clearly said, “Gum, please,” after 6 weeks of this intervention. After that day he would answer any question Dawn asked. He also chatted with his nurse outside of therapy sessions. 9

Analysis Because he didn’t talk, everyone assumed he couldn’t. So they interpreted his gestures and signs. When 2 responses produce the same reinforcers, we tend to do the one needing the least effort. But the contingencies changed when Dawn required more and more effortful vocal and verbal behavior before she delivered the reinforcer. 10

Shaping with Reinforcement Operant Level: The frequency of responding before reinforcement. Terminal Behavior: Behavior not occurring in the repertoire or not occurring at the desired frequency; the goal of the intervention. 11

What is Initial Behavior? Initial Behavior: Behavior that resembles the terminal behavior along some meaningful dimension and occurs at least with a minimal frequency. 12

What is Intermediate Behavior? Intermediate Behavior: Behavior that more closely approximates the terminal behavior. 13

So What is Shaping with Reinforcement? Shaping with Reinforcement: The differential reinforcement of only the behavior that more and more closely resembles the terminal behavior. 14

When do you use shaping? When you want to bring about new responses. Reinforce the initial behavior until it occurs frequently. Then abandon that response. Select and differentially reinforce another response that approximates the terminal behavior. Continue until the terminal behavior occurs, and reinforce it until it occurs frequently. 15

Shaping Reinforcement Before: Andrew has no gum After: Andrew has no gum Behavior Initial: Not applicable Intermediate: Moves lips only Terminal: Says words unclearly Behavior Initial: Andrew moves lips Intermediate: Makes croaking sound Terminal: Says words clearly After: Andrew has gum 16

Example Dicky, a boy with autism, needed glasses. The glasses were aversive for Dicky, and he would not wear them. Mont Wolf and his team of behavior analysts spent minute sessions with Dicky in his room. 17

Procedure They reinforced Dicky’s carrying his glasses, bringing them closer and closer toward his face, and actually putting them on. A gradual shaping process. 18

Shaping Reinforcement Before: Dicky has no candy or fruit After: Dicky has no candy or fruit Behavior Initial: Not applicable Intermediate: Only carries glasses Terminal: Glasses only near face Behavior Initial: Carries glasses Intermediate: Glasses near face Terminal: Puts on glasses After: Dicky has fruit or candy 19

Is wearing glasses a behavior? No. It fails the dead man test. So we talk about putting the glasses on or taking them off. 20

Results After 30 minutes of shaping, Dicky was putting on the glasses properly and looking through the lenses at various toys. Soon he put his glasses on any time they requested. 21

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Example 13-year old Melanie was aphonic. –She spoke in a low, raspy whisper Behavior analysts used praise to shape the loudness of her vocal responses. First they shaped breathing, then humming, then saying consonants, then reading, and finally conversing. They helped her speak loudly and clearly. During a 2-year follow up they realized her vocal responses were still loud and clear. 23

Shaping with Reinforcement Before: Melanie gets no praise After: Melanie gets no praise Behavior Initial: Converses very lightly Intermediate: Converses lightly Terminal: Converses Moderately Behavior Initial: Converses lightly Intermediate: Converses moderately Terminal: Converses loudly After: Melanie gets praise 24

Teaching Behavior Chains Malott, R. (2008) Principles of Behavior. 25

Example Nancy had cerebral palsy She was 5 years old, and had never walked, run, or stood She did rise to her knees from time to time 26

What did the behavior analysts do to help Nancy? They did a task analysis of walking 1.Nancy had to rise to her knees 2.Then rise to her feet 3.Then walk with a crutch This is a behavioral chain 27

Intervention Dawn began reinforcing Nancy rising to her knees After she was reliably rising to her knees, Dawn only reinforced Nancy pulling herself to her feet Then walking a few steps while holding onto a cabinet Then she gave Nancy a harness to support her while she walked She gradually reduced the support she gave Nancy 28

Results Nancy was walking! Dawn reduced the reinforcers Finally, the normal reinforcers that reinforce walking were maintaining Nancy walking 29

Behavioral Chain S D Nancy stands Behavior Moves left food S r /S D Foot forward S r /S D Body forward Behavior Leans forward S r /S D Nancy’s crutch up Behavior Raises crutch 30

What is a Behavioral Chain? Behavioral Chain: A sequence of stimuli and responses Each response produces a stimulus that reinforces the preceding response and is an S D or operandum for the following response. 31

Example MO Sight of potatoes Behavior Pick up fork S r /Oper. Fork in hand S r /S D Fork in potato Behavior Put fork in potato S r /S D Fork raised Behavior Raise fork Behavior Put potato in mouth 32

What are Dual-Functioning Chained Stimuli? Dual-Functioned Chained Stimuli: A stimulus in a behavioral chain reinforces the response that precedes it and is an S D or operandum for the following response. 33

Example The sight of the potatoes is a stimulus in the presence of which we pick up our fork. The sight and feel of the fork reinforced picking it up. But at the same time, the sight and feel of the fork also functions as an S D in the presence of which moving your hand near the potatoes will be reinforced. 34

And… The sight and feel of the fork in the potatoes reinforced moving the fork toward the potatoes. At the same time, the fork in the potatoes is an S D for raising them to your mouth. 35

What is Forward Chaining? Forward Chaining: The establishment of the first link in a behavioral chain, with the addition of successive links, until the final link is acquired. 36

Example Dawn taught Nancy to walk using forward chaining. First she trained the first link in the chain (rising to knees), then she trained the next link (rising to feet), then finally she trained the final link in the chain (walking). 37

What is Total-Task Presentation? Total-Task Presentation: The simultaneous training of all links in a behavioral chain. 38

Example Teaching adolescents with disabilities to brush their teeth. The learners performed each of the 15 links in the behavioral chain of brushing teeth before starting over again. The learner didn’t master one link before proceeding to the next one. 39

Procedure The trainer told the learner to do the response in one of the links. If that didn’t work, the trainer would model the response and maybe give physical guidance, then they’d move to the next link in the chain. The trainer praised the client each time he completed the response in a link of the chain (e.g., removing cap from the tube). 40

What is Backward Chaining? Backward Chaining: The establishment of the final link in a behavioral chain, with the addition of preceding links until the first link is acquired. 41

Example Arithmetic First, do a task analysis of the process of multiplying 2 numbers. Each response and the resulting number you write down is a link in the chain. Completed Problem: 42 X ??? 42

Arithmetic Example The final links are adding and then writing down 966. Then move backward to this set of links: 31 X ??? ??? 43

Arithmetic Example After the students have successfully gone through a number of problems involving these last 2 links in the chain, they’re ready for problems involving the whole chain, starting with the first link: 67 X 89 ??? + ??? ??? 44

Practice Behavior Chains In a small group, create a task analysis for a skill (provided) Determine whether you will use forward chaining, backward chaining, and/or total task presentation to teach your skill 45